Public Consultation on the review of Special Speed Limit Bye-Laws in Dublin City Council – July/August 2016

Public Notice

Dublin City Council is undertaking a review of speed limits within our administrative area and wish to engage through consultation with members of the public, with particular regard to the extension of the 30km/hr speed limit into further residential areas of our city.

The review of current speed limits is being undertaken in accordance with the publication of the ‘Guidelines for Setting & Managing Speed Limits in Ireland’ (March 2015) published by the Department of Transport Tourism & Sport. The principle objective of assessing the appropriate speed limits for our roads and streets is to ensure that the set speed limits are as safe and appropriate as possible for vulnerable road users, including children.

The Road Traffic Act of 2004 sets out the current legislative basis for the setting of speed limits. The setting of special speed limits is a function of the Elected Members of the council. The current speed limits were last reviewed and updated in 2011. The default speed limit in Dublin City is 50km/hr with a selection of areas, roads and streets where a special speed limit of 30, 60 or 80km/hr are also in place, (Please see link below for a map of the current Speed Limits in Dublin City Council area).

This Public Consultation has two purposes:

Seek public acceptance for the introduction of revised Special Speed Limits Bye-Laws 2016 which include additional 30km/hr zones in the Dublin City Council administrative area.

Seek public feedback in relation to identifying additional areas for the introduction of additional Special Speed Limits for a subsequent Public Consultation in 2017.

Submissions may be made via www.dublincity.ie/speedreview, on or before 5pm on Wednesday 24th August 2016. Submissions can also be made in writing marked “Speed Limit Review” to the Senior Engineer, Transport Operations, Environment & Transportation Department, Dublin City Council, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, D08 RF3F, or via email to speedreview@dublincity.ie A hardcopy of the proposed Special Speed Limit Bye-Laws 2016 is available for inspection at all Dublin City Council Libraries, Civic Offices and Local Area Offices for the duration of the Public Consultation which runs from Wednesday 13th July to Wednesday the 24th August 2016.

Roseanne Brennan and Catherine Hayes of Jakes Legacy alongside Roy O’Connor and Andy Walsh, Dublin City Council at the launch of Dublin City Council’s Speed Limit Review. Roseanne is the mother of Jake Brennan who sadly died after being struck by a car outside his home on the 12th June 2014. Roseanne has kindly supported the launch of the public consultation review.

Dublin City Council is undertaking a review of speed limits within it’s administrative area and wish to engage, through consultation with members of the public, on the extension of the 30km/hr speed limit into further residential areas of our city. The consultation will open on Wednesday the 13th July for 6 weeks. Full details on the proposed measures and how citizens (and visitors alike) can input will be posted on this site on Wednesday the 13th July 2016.

In advance of consultation please see the below information on 30 km/hr speed limits and the benefits 30 km/hr could have for people in our City:

Speed is a major contributory factor to road deaths in the Republic of Ireland. Higher speeds mean reduced reaction times and in the event of collision more severe injuries and more fatalities.

In Dublin City Council’s area, since January 2009 to December 2015, 54% of fatalities due to road traffic accidents were pedestrians. The benefit of lower speed limits is principally to substantially reduce the risk of fatal injury in a collision and improve road safety.

The main benefits of a lower speed limit would be increased safety for vulnerable road users including pedestrians, cyclists, the mobility impaired and especially children.

Slower speeds in residential areas encourages ‘passive supervision’ which can be a deterrent to crime.

The ‘wellbeing’ benefits to introducing lower speeds make areas more people friendly and encourage people to feel safer in the areas around their communities.

30 km/hr will ensure a more constant traffic flow with less congestion and traffic jams and makes cycling, walking and using the bus or train much more enjoyable

Dublin City Council has measured the impact 30 km/hr zones would have on a driver’s journey time travelling from an existing arterial road to the innermost street within a proposed 30km/hr zone and then exiting at the opposite end of the 30km/hr area. The greatest increase to a driver’s journey time would not exceed 1 minute in a situation of greatest inconvenience. However the substantial majority of motorists would see an increase of less than 20 seconds to their journey time when accessing a location within the proposed 30km/hr speed zones.

Throughout Europe 30 km/hr is becoming much more prevalent. Edinburgh has had a number of 20mph (32km/hr) zones across its city for a number of years to date and is currently expanding the speed limit to cover all residential areas across the city. Other cities which are actively progressing calmer speed limits, similar to our 30 km/hr proposal include; France – Grenoble, Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nantes, Rennes and Lorient; UK – Over 200 towns and cities, including; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Warrington, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and many of London’s Boroughs. Also many cities and towns in Switzerland France and Spain have progressed to 30km/hr speed limits.

All Child Leap Card holders (aged between the ages of 4 and 18) can travel free on any Leap Card service for a fortnight from Monday July 25, announced Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Shane Ross TD today, with Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority.

The free travel will automatically apply when using a Child Leap Card on the following services from 25th July until the 7th August (inclusive):

This free travel promotion will encourage families, children and teens to use public transport for their leisure activities in the school holidays, and to get out and about and enjoy more of what Ireland has to offer. It also highlights the cheaper fares which are available to Child Leap Card holders, and serves as a reminder for families to get their Leap Cards, and to get used to using them, in plenty of time before the new school year begins.

Any Child Leap Card can be used to avail of this free travel promotion (provided the card has at least 1c credit), but for those who don’t yet have one, a limited stock of free 4-15 Child Leap Cards is now available at the following locations:

Dublin Bus Head Office, 59 O’Connell Street, Dublin 1

Connolly, Heuston and Pearse Train Stations

Bus Station, Parnell Place, Cork

Bus Station, Ceannt Station, Eyre Square, Galway

Bus Station, Parnell St, Limerick

Bus Station, The Quay, Waterford

Minister Ross said: “This is a fantastic initiative from the National Transport Authority which I hope will encourage lots of families with young children to avail of public transport for their summer outings. The Leap Card has been hugely successful due to its convenience and the value for money that it offers. This promotion will enable Child Leap Card holders to travel free on Leap Card services for a fortnight during the height of the summer season so I hope that families will make the most of this opportunity to make happy summer holiday memories. They can get the picnic and head to town, the park or the seaside. Have Leap Card – will travel!”

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said: “Over the summer, we hope as many families as possible go to town to experience all that our fantastic cities have to offer during the holiday season. This promotion doesn’t just apply to Dublin – the historic cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford are also included in the fortnight’s free travel for children with Leap Cards. While there will be disruption to traffic in Dublin as we continue the track-laying for the new Luas Cross City service, this should not stop families and teens from travelling into the city on public transport and having some great days out!”

She added “Full details on where to get a Child Leap card, including identification requirements for older teens, are available online at www.LeapCard.ie”

A new signalised pedestrian crossing at Leonard’s corner has been installed at Clanbrassil Street Lower, Dublin 8. This crossing, which serves a number of schools, communities and colleges in the area, was required due to the high demand from pedestrians crossing Clanbrassil Street Lower. New traffic poles and tactile paving have been installed.

Leonard’s Corner

The crossing was installed as part of the Cycle Safety Improvement Scheme Phase 2 which includes this pedestrain crossing at Leonard’s Corner, new Toucan Crossings at the East Wall/Alfie Bryne Road junction in Dublin 1 and the upgrading of 2 existing pedestrain crossings to toucan crossings at Harold’s Cross and Terenure Road East in Dublin 6. Images of before and after works can be found here.

A toucan crossing is a signalised crossing that allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross at the same time without requiring the cyclist to dismount. These crossings are generally wider (up to 4 meters) in width and use an illuminated cycle symbol alongside the human symbol.

Most of us by now have heard the National Guidelines on Physical Activity for Ireland; to engage in moderate intensity activity for 30 minutes five times a week or 150 minutes weekly.

The overall benefits of exercising include, but are not limited to:

Better health

Improved fitness

Better posture and balance

Better self-esteem and self-confidence

Weight control

Stronger muscles and bones

Feeling more energetic

Relaxation and better sleep

Continued independent living in later life

Helps prevent diabetes

Helps keep your cholesterol levels healthy

Reduces depression and anxiety

Provides social outlets

In our hectic lives it may be hard to fit in time for 150 minutes a week however you don’t have to do it all at once, it can be broken down in many ways. You can build your 30 minutes (or more) over the day by doing a number of short bouts of activity. The minimum length of these short bouts is 10 minutes.

A great way to fit in moderate intensity exercise in your week would be to do it with a journey you have to do anyway. This could translate as getting off your bus a stop earlier; cycling or walking to work; going for a walk at lunchtime; leaving the car behind dropping the kids to school or on local errands.

Being active for 15 minutes on the way into and the return home for work 5 times a week hits your weekly 150 minute target!

Moderate Intensity exercise involves any movement that makes your heart beat a little faster, makes you feel a little warmer and makes your breath a little heavier, you should still however be able to carry out a conversation. A brisk walk would be a moderate intensity activity for most people.

Moderate Intensity activity includes walking at a pace of 5 kilometres per hour or a kilometre in 12 minutes or cycling at a speed of less than 16 kilometres per hour.

High-intensity activity is equivalent to jogging/running, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.